Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements	Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements The terms “Cognizant,” “we,” “our,” “us” and “company” refer to Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation unless the context indicates otherwise. We have prepared the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included herein in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, or U.S. GAAP, and Article 10 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements (and notes thereto) included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. In our opinion, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been included, and all adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. Operating results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected to occur for the entire year. In August 2014, the company announced that its Board of Directors approved an expansion of its stock repurchase program. The Board of Directors increased the company’s stock repurchase authorization under the program from $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 and extended the term of the stock repurchase program from December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2015. During the nine months ended September 30, 2014, we repurchased 2,700,000 shares of our Class A common stock for $130,246, inclusive of fees and expenses, under our existing stock repurchase program approved by our Board of Directors. As of September 30, 2014, the remaining available balance under the Board authorization was $871,899. Additional stock repurchases were made in connection with our stock-based compensation plans, whereby company shares were tendered by employees for payment of applicable statutory tax withholdings. During the nine months ended September 30, 2014, such repurchases totaled 849,465 shares at an aggregate cost of $41,042. Stock Split On February 4, 2014, the company’s Board of Directors declared a two-for-one stock split of our Class A common stock in the form of a 100% stock dividend, which was paid on March 7, 2014 to stockholders of record as of February 21, 2014. The stock split has been reflected in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements, and all applicable references as to the number of outstanding common shares and per share information, except par values, have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the stock split as if it occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented. Stockholders’ equity accounts have been retroactively adjusted to reflect a reclassification of an amount equal to the par value of the increase in issued shares of Class A common stock from the additional paid-in-capital account to the Class A common stock account. Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued a standard on revenue from contracts with customers. The new standard sets forth a single comprehensive model for recognizing and reporting revenue. The standard also requires additional financial statement disclosures that will enable users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows relating to customer contracts. The new standard will be effective for periods beginning on or after January 1, 2017. Early adoption is not permitted. The standard allows for two methods of adoption: the full retrospective adoption, which requires the standard to be applied to each prior period presented, or the modified retrospective adoption, which requires the cumulative effect of adoption to be recognized as an adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. We are currently evaluating the effect the new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In July 2013, the FASB issued new guidance which requires the netting of any unrecognized tax benefits against all available same-jurisdiction deferred income tax carryforward assets that would apply if the uncertain tax positions were settled. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2014. As of September 30, 2014, we netted an unrecognized tax benefit of $81,161 against same-jurisdiction non-current deferred income tax assets. In our December 31, 2013 consolidated statement of financial position, we reclassified $74,196 from "other non-current liabilities" to non-current "deferred income tax assets, net" to conform to current period's presentation. The adoption of this standard had no effect on our condensed consolidated results of operations or stockholder's equity.

Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

The terms “Cognizant,” “we,” “our,” “us” and “company” refer to Cognizant Technology Solutions Corporation unless the context indicates otherwise. We have prepared the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included herein in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America, or U.S. GAAP, and Article 10 of Regulation S-X under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with our audited consolidated financial statements (and notes thereto) included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. In our opinion, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been included, and all adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature. Operating results for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected to occur for the entire year.

In August 2014, the company announced that its Board of Directors approved an expansion of its stock repurchase program. The Board of Directors increased the company’s stock repurchase authorization under the program from $1,500,000 to $2,000,000 and extended the term of the stock repurchase program from December 31, 2014 to December 31, 2015.

During the nine months ended September 30, 2014, we repurchased 2,700,000 shares of our Class A common stock for $130,246, inclusive of fees and expenses, under our existing stock repurchase program approved by our Board of Directors. As of September 30, 2014, the remaining available balance under the Board authorization was $871,899. Additional stock repurchases were made in connection with our stock-based compensation plans, whereby company shares were tendered by employees for payment of applicable statutory tax withholdings. During the nine months ended September 30, 2014, such repurchases totaled 849,465 shares at an aggregate cost of $41,042.

Stock Split

On February 4, 2014, the company’s Board of Directors declared a two-for-one stock split of our Class A common stock in the form of a 100% stock dividend, which was paid on March 7, 2014 to stockholders of record as of February 21, 2014. The stock split has been reflected in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements, and all applicable references as to the number of outstanding common shares and per share information, except par values, have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the stock split as if it occurred at the beginning of the earliest period presented. Stockholders’ equity accounts have been retroactively adjusted to reflect a reclassification of an amount equal to the par value of the increase in issued shares of Class A common stock from the additional paid-in-capital account to the Class A common stock account.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB, issued a standard on revenue from contracts with customers. The new standard sets forth a single comprehensive model for recognizing and reporting revenue. The standard also requires additional financial statement disclosures that will enable users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows relating to customer contracts. The new standard will be effective for periods beginning on or after January 1, 2017. Early adoption is not permitted. The standard allows for two methods of adoption: the full retrospective adoption, which requires the standard to be applied to each prior period presented, or the modified retrospective adoption, which requires the cumulative effect of adoption to be recognized as an adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. We are currently evaluating the effect the new standard will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In July 2013, the FASB issued new guidance which requires the netting of any unrecognized tax benefits against all available same-jurisdiction deferred income tax carryforward assets that would apply if the uncertain tax positions were settled. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2014. As of September 30, 2014, we netted an unrecognized tax benefit of $81,161 against same-jurisdiction non-current deferred income tax assets. In our December 31, 2013 consolidated statement of financial position, we reclassified $74,196 from "other non-current liabilities" to non-current "deferred income tax assets, net" to conform to current period's presentation. The adoption of this standard had no effect on our condensed consolidated results of operations or stockholder's equity.